We haven’t had the luxury of seeing a new Quentin Tarantino film since 2015, which is usually way too long to take step away from the filmmaking creativity he brings to the table. Thankfully the acclaimed director has been hard at work on his new project, one that, in some way, will focus on the murder of Sharon Tate in 1969. News has been here and there, but Sony has (finally) revealed some much needed information on the first ever Tarantino film that isn’t backed by The Weinstein Company.

Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie were all names that were rumbling back-and-forth weeks ago, with nothing ever becoming official. The word was that Tarantino was writing the script with these names in mind for specific roles. As I said, nothing became official, until now. News broke yesterday morning that Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt have officially joined the film, with DiCaprio in the lead and Pitt co-starring alongside him. That’s not all, as the film has been given the title Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and also arrived with an official synopsis:

Tarantino describes it as “a story that takes place in Los Angeles in 1969, at the height of hippy Hollywood. The two lead characters are Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), former star of a western TV series, and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Both are struggling to make it in a Hollywood they don’t recognize anymore. But Rick has a very famous next-door neighbor…Sharon Tate.”

I LOVE the sound of this film. First of all, what a western it must be to have DiCaprio leading the series and a dude like Pitt acting as his stunt double. I’m not too sure if the two have ever worked together, but they’re both reuniting with Tarantino after having working with him in the past. DiCaprio for Django Unchained and Pitt for Inglorious Basterds. It’s an all-star team-up, and I for one can’t wait to see what kind of chemistry they have, as well as the ensemble that’s placed around them.

While Cruise was rumored weeks back for a possible role, his name isn’t included. It’s unclear as to whether he passed on the role or if he just hasn’t been announced yet. He may very well be known for his amazing action sequences/movies, but I would absolutely be in to see him in a Tarantino project. Margot Robbie is the only name at this time to be connected to play Sharon Tate, and while her name is noticeably absent from the report, it’s expected that she’ll be announced as Sharon Tate sooner rather than later.

This is an unusual Tarantino film, a first if you will. Not only is this his first film outside the Weinstein umbrella, but it was in question not too long ago after some news came out regarding Uma Thurman and unfair treatment on the set of Tarantino’s Kill Bill films. Thurman herself later came out and lessened the blame on Tarantino, although the director did take some responsibility in a later interview.

Whether or not this ends up being Tarantino’s final hoo-rah as a director, it’s shaping up incredibly nicely. With names like DiCaprio and Pitt already in the bag, I’m very interested to see who comes next and the potential at possibly seeing names like Cruise, Robbie and even Al Pacino join the ranks. What do you think of the film’s new additions? Are you excited for Tarantino’s take on the Tate murders? Once Upon a Time in Hollywood holds a August 9th, 2019 release date.